1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to rolls of cushioning materials to be used in packaging, in conjunction with or independent of the packing material disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 07,962,944, U.S. Ser. No. 07/936,608 and U.S. Ser. No. 07/851,911. The methods and apparatus to expand the packaging material and the methods of formation of the rolls are also disclosed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Materials for use in filling hollow spaces in packaging or wrapping objects for protection in moving are well known in the prior art. However, to date, such materials have been either ineffective, such as newsprint, or ecologically unsound, such as styrofoam or plastic bubbles. Production of the styrofoam and plastic bubbles causes toxic waste as well as creating disposal problems. Although recycling of these products is possible, storage of the products for re-use is bulky and not generally feasible for home owners or some industries. Re-using bubble wrap material is not practical because of limited shelf life of the bubbles due to air loss. Another disadvantage of existing filling materials is they cannot be shipped in an unexpanded form, thereby creating shipping cost based on bulk.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,937,131 discloses a dunnage pad for use as cushioning. The sheet-like stock material is rolled inwardly to form a pair of pillow-like portions abutting one another. These portions are stitched, or otherwise fastened together. U.S. Pat. No. 3,799,039 discloses a mechanism which produces a dunnage-type product for use with packing, shipping, etc. The confirmation of the dunnage-type product does not allow the specific item to be wrapped, but rather cushions the item along the bottom and/or edges of a container.
While the prior art devices provide improvements in the areas intended, none of the prior art overcomes the problems associated with general shipping. None of the prior art patents disclose an environmentally safe, readily recyclable, and biodegradable material which can be wrapped around, and conform to, a delicate item.
The co-pending applications disclose an environmentally safe filling material preferably manufactured from recycled paper in various sizes to meet the user's needs. The cushioning effect of the filling paper is achieved through expansion at the time of use and therefore is shipped in an unexpanded form to provide an advantage for shipping and storage. In the instant invention the slit paper is rolled into rolls which are used to fill boxes, thereby cushioning the articles shipped. The instant invention also discloses the apparatus and method to make the rolls.